Sweetwater Cabin

Built in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps as a recreation cabin, Sweetwater Cabin was used by the film crew of the  The Yearling, starring Gregory Peck, in 1945 while they filmed on location in the Ocala National Forest.  The film won two Oscars in 1947. It was another high point in the career of local author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, whose original inspiration for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel came from a stay with the Long family just up the road at Pat's Island.

Now a secluded getaway available to visitors, historic Sweetwater Cabin is located at the end of a dead-end road surrounded by the Juniper Prairie Wilderness with access to its own quiet spring. It's a place to contemplate nature in a serene setting, to enjoy a bubbling spring with your friends or family, and to get away from it all.

Reservations for Sweetwater Cabin are extremely limited and are determined by lottery. Because it's such a popular destination for folks looking for a step back into the 1930s, competition for a stay at the cabin is intense. You may register between January 1 and May 31 for your opportunity at a stay here. See details about the cabin, including interior photos, and learn how to get your name in the lottery with Recreation Resource Management.